THE ITBANK IDEA DESK
Find something worth building. Practical starting points for people who want to solve problems in Africa and around the world.
Explore 54 ideas ↓54 ideas
Turn digital-skills learning into reviewed work by pairing learners with safe, small business challenges and publishing non-confidential evidence of the solution.
For: Students, community makerspaces, SMEs and volunteer technical mentors
Open the blueprint →Replace guesswork with verified voluntary pre-orders and simple product-grade descriptions so small growers can plan harvesting without guaranteed-buyer promises.
For: Farmer organisations, wholesalers, hospitality buyers and rural market associations
Open the blueprint →Track school-meal supplier commitments, deliveries and basic quality checks so public buyers can identify delays while opening fair opportunities for local growers.
For: School feeding managers, farmer cooperatives and local procurement watchdogs
Open the blueprint →Provide trustworthy help preparing CVs, understanding application requirements and submitting legitimate vacancies without charging people for fake job referrals.
For: Libraries, community learning centres, jobseekers and career counsellors
Open the blueprint →Help independent sellers turn one-off enquiries into repeat purchases with permission-based reminders, clear quotes and simple records instead of expensive marketing software.
For: Market traders, service shops, women-led SMEs and small-business trainers
Open the blueprint →Let nearby shops compare wholesale offers and coordinate voluntary purchases without creating opaque fees or excluding small members.
For: Retailer cooperatives, shop associations, wholesalers and community accountants
Open the blueprint →Explore a plain-language checklist for one business type in one jurisdiction. Link every official step to its source and show what is still uncertain or needs professional advice.
For: Business support centres, aspiring founders and civic information designers
Open the blueprint →Organise public project documents into a dated, source-linked timeline. Help readers see what has been announced, documented and left unanswered without turning missing information into allegations.
For: Civic organisations, community reporters and public-interest data teams
Open the blueprint →Explore a staff-only index that helps a clinic locate existing records. Begin with missing-file workflows and synthetic data rather than digitising sensitive patient histories at scale.
For: Clinic administrators, health information staff and supervised developer teams
Open the blueprint →Test a simple way to record damaged stock, expiry and unexplained count differences. The first product is a reliable routine that a busy shop can keep using.
For: Independent shopkeepers, inventory clerks and practical software learners
Open the blueprint →Explore whether nearby merchants can coordinate non-urgent deliveries into agreed windows. Begin as a staffed scheduling experiment with a licensed delivery partner, not an open courier marketplace.
For: Market associations, independent retailers and local logistics operators
Open the blueprint →Explore a clear way for an existing cooperative to request, confirm and track equipment bookings. Start with one machine and a responsible coordinator, with maintenance and safety handled by qualified people.
For: Farmer cooperatives, equipment owners and agricultural service coordinators
Open the blueprint →